Overview
The CPTN (formerly the Pediatric Clinical and Developmental Pharmacology Training Network), funded through the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) in the Obstetric and Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics Branch (OPPTB), aims to ensure that a diverse and highly trained workforce is available in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, fields that have been noticeably neglected, most particularly in pediatrics. Network support increases the pool of investigators trained in new "-omics" technologies and their application, to bolster integration and synergistic interactions in pursuit of personalized pediatric therapeutics.
This network—which allows interdisciplinary collaboration among clinical, translational, and basic investigators who study pediatric therapeutics—is mandated through the BPCA portion of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Amendments Act of 2007. Since the program’s inception, more than 140 participants have graduated from the NICHD-led program, the joint NICHD-National Institute of General Medical Sciences program, and the joint NICHD-National Institute of Mental Health program. Many graduates now hold leadership positions in academic medicine, the FDA, and industrial drug development.
In 2022, to address the NICHD Strategic Plan aspirational goal of establishing the next generation of scientists to harness the techniques necessary for future investigation, OPPTB supplemented its existing Postdoctoral Training in Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Program with the Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Research Career Development Program. The two parallel programs comprise the new CPTN and enhance NICHD’s pediatric clinical pharmacology training and career development portfolio.
Goals of the CPTN are to:
- Foster entry points for aspiring clinician-scientists, cultivate early intellectual curiosity, and maintain continuity, thus promoting and sustaining career development
- Provide robust and diverse training and mentorship in pediatric clinical pharmacology
- Stimulate interdisciplinary collaboration among clinical, translational, and basic researchers in pediatric therapeutics
- Incorporate clinicians and basic scientists into clinical and research training program leadership and create new opportunities for professional development
- Develop and harness leadership and mentorship skills to serve as future mentors, especially for those in rural and underserved institutions
Within the CPTN, activities aim to harmonize fellows' core curriculum, encourage cross-collaboration across sites and subdisciplines, and coordinate a weekly lecture series about topics in pediatric pharmacology.
The network’s annual meeting allows new fellows to learn from and receive updates from returning fellows, while also offering an opportunity for fellows to meet other trainees in the program, learn about research at other institutions, and hear from experts in the field.
Programs
Postdoctoral Training in Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology (F32/T32) Program
This postdoctoral training grant (F32 and T32) program supports postdoctoral research and career development trainees at the clinical pharmacology-biomedical sciences interface.
The goals of the program are to:
- Foster scientific innovation
- Contribute to robust learning environments
- Provide robust and diverse training in pediatric and maternal clinical pharmacology
Programs must provide an interdisciplinary research training experience and curriculum for predoctoral trainees that integrates clinical, biomedical, and bench science perspectives, approaches, and methodologies. Training programs must include coursework, laboratory rotations, and programmatic activities that reinforce training at this interface. Collaborative involvement and significant participation by faculty and leadership with research programs in both clinical and biomedical science departments is required, as is co-mentoring of trainees by faculty from both disciplines.
Interested applicants are encouraged to review the individual parent announcements for specific application information, and to contact the CPTN contact or OPPTB staff for more information.
- PA-23-262: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32)
- PA-23-048: Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T32)
Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Research Career Development (K12) Program
This career development (K12) award supports scholars who conduct research independently at institutions without strong clinical pharmacology programs, while providing formal mentorship and support from national-level clinical pharmacologists.
The goals of the program are to:
- Foster the development and productivity of early career researchers
- Facilitate their transition to individual research grant (R) mechanisms
Programs must support development of research leaders in the field of clinical pharmacology, building a strong foundation in research design, methods, and analytic techniques appropriate for a more comprehensive clinical pharmacology research area. Training programs must include customized, frequent mentoring tailored to the scholar’s chosen research project and coordinated with the scholar’s clinical activity. Faculty and leadership are encouraged to collaborate and maintain significant participation with research programs in both clinical and biomedical science departments; co-mentoring of trainees by faculty from various disciplines is also preferred. Each scholar’s program should have a mentor team with integrated and diverse expertise.
Interested applicants should review RFA-HD-23-023: Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Research Career Development Award (K12 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) for additional information.
More Information
Disclaimer: The details on this page are for informational purposes only. Please read and follow all requirements and instructions in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and the Table of IC-Specific Information linked therein before applying for an award. Application review information is described in the FOA. If you have any questions before submitting your application, please contact the relevant NICHD program staff.
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